By the Numbers: Industry News Roundup

Each week, the Mployer Advisor team parses through dozens of reports, industry news, updates, and headlines. Not every statistic or data set warrants an exclusive blog post, but there are numbers that deserve to be reported on a smaller scale.  

Here are some of the top numbers that caught our attention over the past two weeks:

18%  

The percentage of employers that currently require COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees, according to a recent survey conducted by Willis Towers Watson. Even though the Supreme Court blocked OSHA’s vaccine mandate rule for large employers, mandates could still become a more frequent workplace occurrence. Now, the decision of whether to implement these health and safety measures is in the hands of employers.  

$2,000

The average increase in profitability for a company per remote worker, according to a new report from Findstack. The report found that a whopping 74% of employees are less likely to leave a company if they have the option to work remotely. To learn more about why the hybrid work model is becoming more attractive to employees, check out our recent article.

61%  

The percent of U.S. adults, as of January 2022, worried about receiving a surprise medical bill from the emergency room, according to a nationwide poll conducted by Morning Consult. What's more, only 19% of adults expressed familiarity with the No Surprises Act. See our recent webinar for more education around broker disclosure fees and best practices to ensure compliance, or read our blog recap for a quick overview of the event.  

#1  

Financial anxiety is the top contributor of stress among employees, according to a recent Zenefits article. In fact, employees who experience extreme financial stress are twice as likely to leave their company. Helping employees' budget, plan for retirement, and offer strong health benefits plans are solid ways for employers to care for their employees and drive retention.  

55%  

The number of consumers who expressed interest in buying an insurance product through Amazon rather than a traditional insurance carrier. Check out this article by BenefitsPro to see how tech companies are creating a space for themselves in the insurance sector.

¼  

The number of working Americans who screened positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) between September 2021 and December of 2021. This number is up over 100% since before the pandemic, according to an article by BenefitsPro. PTSD, however, is not the only thing that is increasing. Thanks to the new wave of COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant, other mental health disorders such as social anxiety, depression, and general anxiety are also trending upward. Historically, the winter season tends to spur a rise in depression and anxiety; coupled with the surge in COVID-19 lockdowns, how employers handle the next few months could prove crucial.  

88%

The percentage of employees who would consider switching to a lower-paying job with better health benefits over a higher-paying job with a sub-par benefits plan. With the rise of workers searching for new jobs, a comprehensive employee benefits packages has become crucial in recruiting and retaining top talent. Download our industry-leading Benefits Benchmarking report to see how your company’s benefits plan compares to others in your industry, company size, and region.  

3.9%  

This is the nation’s current unemployment rate. According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is the lowest the unemployment rate has been since before the pandemic hit. See our January 2022 Employment Situation for more details.  

$0.90

The amount of workers in the LGBTQ community make per every dollar an average worker makes, as reported by EBN. Although there could be several reasons for this reported wage gap, it is too early to rule out discrimination as a contributing factor.  

7.0%  

The increase in consumer prices for all items from December 2020 to December 2021. This is the most significant increase since 1981. To date, gasoline, for instance, is up almost 50%. Experts predict inflation will slow by the end of this year, but the uncertainty is spurring anxiety nationwide.

Looking for more exclusive content? Check out the latest over on the Mployer Advisor blog, or read on for “Industry Leaders Predict 2022’s Top Employee Benefits Trends.”

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